When Sky Blue Gets Dark Enough
by Goldielochs
Summary: Edythe x Beau. Cannon vampires. Set shortly after the car incident in the High school parking lot. Edythe is roped into going to a benefit dinner for the Hospital by Carine and the rest of her family. Edythe hasn't been quite herself since Beau came into town, or more precisely since Edythe decided to keep Beau at arm's length. Can music bridge the gap?
1. Manipulation

**_AN: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. _**

**_Summary: _**

**_Set shortly after the car incident in the High school parking lot._**

**_Edythe is roped into going to a benefit dinner for the Hospital by Carine and the rest of her family,_**

**_who is lamenting the fact that Edythe just hasn't been quite herself since Beau came into town,_**

**_Or more precisely since Edythe decided to keep Beau at arm's length._**

* * *

**Community Engagement**

_Chapter 1_

**Manipulation**

* * *

An odd commotion happened behind the makeshift stage. "The sound system is about to go out." Archie predicted casually as if notating the weather outside. Edythe swung her hair to one side and rested elegantly in front of the plate that had her name spelled incorrectly on a cheap folded name card. It was cute when small towns like Forks tried and failed at gallantry. Royal of course didn't think of it as so charming as she did. His thoughts grumbled with the lack of follow through. _-"Might as well be a McDonalds." - _She raised her eyebrows but said nothing to him about why he was getting so worked up about table arrangement when they wouldn't even be able to eat the food. The playlist music playing softly over sound system cut out and no one at the Cullen and Hale tabled batted an eye.

Archie sat across from her with Jessamine coldly sitting beside him. She was nervous. She'd spent all day testing her limits at school and now, when she was used to relaxing away with her family, she was brought back to a packed room of hot blooded humans. Archie patted her hand and winked at her. Sharing something between them that not even Edythe could hear. But she felt their connection, like walled off estate that she could only look into but never quite fully understand.

"It's such an honor to have you all here tonight. Especially our esteemed guests, Dr. Cullen and her family. Thank you so much. We know your time is important and your presence really means a lot to the community."

Carine nodded at the city manager. She sat completely at ease, more casually presented than she usually let the townsfolk see her. Her feet underneath her and her arm wrapped around and in the hand of Ernest. Carine Cullen and her entire family had been invited as special guests to a benefit to raise money for the hospital. This apparently was a hot ticket event. One of the few soirees where the people of Forks got dressed up besides sunday mornings. Their idea of fashion however, made Archi depressed. _-Not their fault the only clothing store here is the section in Dollar General.- _

The city manager continued. "Food will be out shortly. We're very proud of night's like this and this community that comes together for it."

A soft applause. It was in fact a miracle that the whole Cullen and Hale family gathered around the table. It took days of convincing, especially of Edythe. After the incident with the Swan boy in the parking lot, Edythe hadn't been home long enough after school to even discuss it with her.

"No." She objected when Carine had finally been able to catch up to her one night somewhere in the forest range near the boundary for Canada. "That sounds horrible."

"The town really wants us all there."

"They want you there." Edythe argued. "They don't care about me. If I'm not there then it won't matter."

"But I want you to be there. I care about you. And it matters to me." Carine smiled so genuinely.

Edythe grumbled. She couldn't outwit Carine's love. "Why though?"

"Because, you're my family and this is one of the reasons we choose to live this way. To be a normal family. To be part of human society. To be together." Carine reached out gently and touched Edythe's cheek. "When you left-" The first day Beau Swan came into Forks Highschool. The day that Edythe decided to flee instead of mowing down an entire classroom. "You never really came back."

Edythe saw the hurt in Carine's face. She sighed and put her hand against Carine's pressing her closer. "This isn't like last time." She said carefully. "I won't leave like that again."

Carine's eyes popped open wide. "Oh no, that's not what I'm afraid of." The ten years Edythe left the family to hunt people, finding the bad and protecting the good. But playing God didn't sit well with Edythe and she returned like the prodigal son. "I just miss you. I haven't seen you smile in months."

"Life isn't fair." Edythe shrugged.

"You're unhappy."

"But I'm here."

"Then come to this stupid little event. It's just one night we can all be together and be a family. It will make me happy."

Edythe curled up into her mother figure's arms and gripped her back. "You're a master manipulator, you know."

Carine looked shocked. "I'm not trying to manipulate-"

"I know." Edythe breathed. "That's why you're so good at it."

Edythe smiled pleasantly at Carine, trying to not make it fake, but she knew her eyes weren't in it. Archie was thinking of Jessamine's hair and running his hands over the scared skin of her stomach. Edythe quickly shied away from his thoughts and decided that this was just like school. She tried to, unsuccessfully stay out of everyone's heads and find some kind of blank solace. Then she heard it.

A familiar rumble, loud enough to shake the birds from the trees. She snapped up and slammed her fist on the table. The plate in front of her shattered. "Archie." She hissed. Ernest quickly came to her side and tried to calm her down, but she shrugged him off. "You little rat. You knew this whole time."

Archie flashed up an apologetic smile.

"Knew what?" Eleanor leaned forward, excited by something finally happening.

Edythe just grumbled. "I'm leaving." She spat and turned. Ernest didn't release his grip on her arm.

"Edythe, what's the matter?" Ernest kept trying to stare into Edythe's eyes, but she wouldn't meet them.

"That oaf over there is putting everyone in danger." She pointed at Archie.

"What did you call him?" Jessamine raised her right eyebrow. The hint of a threat looming and Edythe suppressed a shiver.

Her agitation grew, they were all getting concerned over the wrong things. "He's supposed to be looking out for possible threats and letting us know so we can avoid them..."

"What's the threat?" Royal stood up now, tense. This was the closest to freedom their family had ever gotten in their cold eternal existence. It was in fact, Royal's idea in the first place to come as a family, which shocked and warmed Carine's still heart. Anything that would harm this for the family-

"Me." Edythe hissed. Her face strained and whipped back to Archie. "Later." She answered some thought. "I have to go."

"Too late." Archie smirked.

Edythe paced as quickly as she dared in front of humans towards the exit. The double doors just a few feet away. The parking lot beyond. Her silver accord was parked two spaces across from the closest handicapped spot. She could be in her car within 22 seconds. She could peel out of here, the tires burning on the pavement, and be on the highway in 48 seconds. She could make it.

Suddenly, the doors to freedom opened and Beau Swan swung inside. He fell inside, backlight by the dying sun outside shining golden hues onto the unruly brown locks of hair on the nape of his neck.

Edythe held her breath and spun around. Frozen.

Beau faced the opposite way. His broad shoulders filled out the light denim jacket just a foot away from the back of Edythe's bronze curls. One wide hand still on the door and one on an old black guitar case. She could feel his warmth radiating from where she stood. He had just arrived, but Beau was everywhere, filling the space around him with his presence. Edythe shut her eyes. Only a second had passed. She dared not breath in his scent. She dared not think about how small her body was compared to his. Or what it looked like for his body to be outlined against her own, highlighted by dusky twilight outside.

* * *

**AN: This idea has been ruminating in my head since I read Life and Death. I always want more from the Bella/Beau character. I love them so much and I love seeing Edythe/Edward character squirm. I hope you guys enjoy this little wholesome nugget of a story as much as I do. **

**Thank you for reading. **

**xoxo **

**Rosalie/Goldie ;) **


	2. Burn

**_AN: _Songs:**  
**1: "Neon" John Mayer - Where the Light Is - Live in L.A.**  
**2: "In Your Atmosphere (LA Song)" John Mayer - Where the Light is Live in L.A.**

_Previously:  
Suddenly, the doors to freedom opened and Beau Swan swung inside. He fell inside, backlight by the dying sun outside shining golden hues onto the unruly brown locks of hair on the nape of his neck. _

_Edythe held her breath and spun around. Frozen. _

_Beau faced the opposite way. His broad shoulders filled out the light denim jacket just a foot away from the back of Edythe's bronze curls. One wide hand still on the door and one on an old black guitar case. She could feel his warmth radiating from where she stood. He had just arrived, but Beau was everywhere, filling the space around him with his presence. Edythe shut her eyes. Only a second had passed. She dared not breath in his scent. She dared not think about how small her body was compared to his. Or what it looked like for his body to be outlined against her own, highlighted by dusky twilight outside._

* * *

**When Sky Blue Gets Dark Enough**

Chapter 2

_**Burn**_

* * *

And then he moved forward, breaking away from that odd connection. He staggered up to the city manager who met him halfway there. Edythe opened her eyes as if waking from spell and slunk to the wall. What the hell was he doing here. Her thoughts turned to anger at his presence and frustration when she, yet again, couldn't see into his mind answer those questions.

_-I thought you were leaving.-_ Archie antagonized her. She brushed it off. Curiosity kept her. It was Saturday. She hadn't suffered by Beau's side today and something like masochism made her want miss that torture. The guitar case in Beau's hand. She zeroed in on it.

"Thanks for stepping in." The city manager clapped a hand on Beau's shoulder, who stood over him. He had to reach.

"No problem." Beau smiled. She only saw it through the other man's thoughts, and grew even more frustrated that the city official wasn't focusing on all the right parts. Did he crinkle his eyes? Did dimples appear on his cheeks? Pay attention!

Beau walked towards the stage, nearly tripping on the wires, predictably. She stifled a snicker.

_-Oh, is that him?-_ Ernest's thoughts were the ones right now Edythe tried the hardest to ignore. _-That's not exactly what I expected, but I don't really know what I thought I imagined the boy Edythe would love-_

Edythe swallowed down and focused more closely on Beau's movements. Love? Edythe scowled. She didn't love him. The visions Archi had spoken of, were untrue. Archie saw a lot of things and not all of his visions were reliable. She was sure this was one such time. How could she love him? Beau was. . . just a teenage boy. She'd been sitting next to hundreds of teenage boys and their thoughts were all the same. Even if she couldn't read Beau. He wasn't any different. And besides, she sighed, Edythe struggled not to kill him every single day. She could never forget about that. Furthermore, Archie's interpretations were skewed. His biases could change the meaning of his visions. She squeezed her fist tight, willing the course of fate to change. There was no other way.

Still she watched like a hawk as Beau hopped up onto the stage and broke apart his suitcase with ease. The metal clasps knocked against the hard case and Beau quickly got to work strapping the guitar with a wide leather strap. He tested a few strings between his fingers. Edythe saw the vibrations wave the strings under his touch and she blinked back something Jessamine would describe as delight.

He put a pic between his lips and stepped up to the mic, adjusting the settings and raising it to his height. His hands managed the knobs expertly and swiftly. Edythe furrowed her eyebrows and slowly stepped sideways back over to the table.

When the settings were to his liking, Beau stepped forward, took the pick back from his lips, and pressed his lips right onto the mic. "Good evening." He greeted, testing the sound. His voice came out lower than what she was used to. Beau grinned, placing the pick back on his lips and turned away to drag a stool up from it's spot in the back.

Edythe still as slow as ice, lowered herself back down into her chair, avoiding the amused looks of her family. At the same time Beau sat on the edge of the stool, using on bent knee to hold up the guitar, and his other leg straightened, holding himself up. This looked so natural to him. Not the stumbling teenager in the cafeteria or the awkward boy in biology. Edythe further knitted her eyebrows together trying to figure out this enigma.

Beau tapped his shoe and cleared his throat before grabbing the pick in his right hand again and leaning forward into the mic. "You know, when I got a call that there was an emergency at the hospital fundraiser, I said" He paused a smile pulling the corner of his lips up, "Why are you calling me? The entire hospital is right there. It's the most convenient place for an emergency."

A few people chuckled politely. Carine tittered and pursed her lips, careful of Edythe's feelings. Beau played a few chords, warming up his fingers. The idle music coming forth like thoughts. Edythe's shoulders relaxed, but her eye still held tense. The beginnings of a melody were strung together lazily, softly, like waking up from a pleasant dream.

"My name is Beau. You may know me as Charlie's kid. You know, the one from Phoenix." He paused to change the key in his mindless plucking. A darkness passed along his face and Edythe tilted her head as the key changed to a minor chord. "I'm gonna be playing some music for you tonight. Sorry you're other musical plans fell through to some technical difficulty."

_-He's musical.-_ Carine thought calmly only the hint of her happiness tinging it. Edythe didn't have to read between the lines to understand why the thought resonated so loudly in her head.

Beau's fingers began picking up pace and playing stronger chords, like a horse entering into a gallop from a canter. The notes cascaded in simple but commanding melody. Suddenly he stopped again. "I learned to play the guitar a long time ago from a very wise man and he had one simple rule that I hold very dearly and take up as my own guitarist's creed. He said 'Beau, only plays songs when you've been invited to specifically, or when you're practicing in your own bedroom." He paused to play some more bars of music letting the words sink in. "So uh." He leaned into the mic placing his lips right on it and stared up from impossibly thick eyelashes. His sky blue eyes pierced into the darkened room. "It's kind of weird that you're all in my bedroom right now."

Archie laughed. Joy crunching his cheeks against his eyes.

"So I suppose," Beau continued. "I should say welcome. Don't mind the mess and sorry about the smell." He shrugged his shoulders. His dry sense of humor even pulled on Edythe's lips. Earnest noticed and she straightened out as soon as the thought crossed his mind.

Beau began to play his first song. His fingers struck the strings and moved so quickly and intricately, playing at a level that shocked Edythe. The sound crooned out smoothly. It must have taken years for him to be so comfortable with the instrument. He held it like an extension of himself, no stranger to the curves of the wood. How had she not noticed his calloused fingers bending to the will of the strings, melding to fit the needs of the music into his own skin. Every movement precise, practiced, but not cold.

And then he leaned forward and opened his lips and began the first verse. "When sky blue gets dark enough,"

Royal snapped his neck and it took a second for Edythe to realize why. She had giggled. The sound of mirth bubbled from her completely involuntary, she hadn't even noticed what was happening outside herself beside the performance on the stage. Why did she giggle. She chastised herself. It certainly wasn't because of the strange strings Beau's voice rumbled inside of her, shaking awake. Nope. Not that.

She glared back at Royal and straightened herself out again. Perhaps she should have stuck by her wall. No. Edythe stood up. Perhaps she should leave. Like she meant to from the beginning.

Archi's visions: Beau lying in a pool of blood. Edythe's hands around his neck, almost lovingly, holding his lifeless body.

She had to go. She wasn't even one song in yet, but she had already stayed too long.

"Too late." Archi had whispered. But he was wrong. He had to be wrong. She hurried back to the double door, her fingers on the handle and then Beau got to the chorus.

_"She comes and goes and comes and goes_

_Like no one can_

_She comes and goes and no one knows_

_She's slipping through my hands"_

Edythe's hands paused on jerked away from the handle. She spun on her heels again and pressed her back to the door frame, like a mouse backed up into the corner. Hunted by his words.

He saw her in the parking lot. Beau saw her flying to his side to protect him from the van that would have crushed him. Comes and goes and comes and goes like no one can. When she left for Canada after her first day. When she came back just as suddenly. Edythe swallowed. When she leaves everyday from his side in biology. Never speaking a word to him.

She comes and goes and no one knows, she's slipping through my hands.

Edythe nearly sank to the floor. This song. . . he wrote for her. About her. And no one knows, but him and her.

Edythe wrapped her arms around her chest, holding herself together, not understanding this feeling that racked through her. He wrote a song. She blinked trying to understand. He wrote a song, about her. Her lips twisted into a smile despite herself.

_"Who knows how long, how long, how long_

_She can go before she burns away"_

And then the smile disappeared. How. How does he know. Everyday she tests herself against him. Every day burning beside him, one slip away from devouring him completely, succumbing to the burn in her throat. The way he sung the lyric, so emotionally transparent. He didn't sound like a seventeen year old. He sounded weary. Experience lacing his voice with some kind of personal agony.

The rest of the song, her mind raced like her legs did as soon as she had driven her siblings back from school. Running as far away as she could, but everywhere her thoughts took her, all train tracks brought her back to him.

The crowd began to clap during the climax of the last chorus. His voice hitching up expertly. His brows furrowed in concentration and once again Edythe wished she could hear what was happening behind his forehead. Hear the thoughts that created this song. What did he think of her. What did he think about her. Why couldn't she just- Of everyone. Of absolutely everyone to be hidden from her special hearing, why him? Never had so more wished to crawl into his mind and scratch his thoughts out from him. His face made odd expressions as he picked out a particularly difficult break section.

Then she let his music soften her up again. She wanted his thoughts just as much as she wanted the taste of his blood, but somehow the music he created seemed to tamper both desires, giving her something else. Something she couldn't have thought to desire. Something she was still realizing for herself.

Suddenly the song ended and Edythe blinked back. For a moment, for as long as he played, the voices of all the thoughts around her quieted. But now they were back, flooding her in, angry that they'd been quieted. Everyone. All of them. Their thoughts swirled through her. All except the one she wanted to hear the most. They drowned out the applause from around the room.

"Thank you. Thank you." Beau bowed his head politely. "I know what you're thinking." He said while shaking his hand out. "I get it. You're wondering why I make those ugly faces." He began to play another melody quietly in transition. "Well, truth is. I just have an ugly face." He grinned and even Eleanor laughed at his little joke. "I do. I do. I just have an ugly face." He took a swig of water. Carine squeezed Ernest's hand and whispered something into his ear. Earnest nodded.

Edythe rolled her eyes, in her corner in the dark.

"He's clever." Carine Cullen had told her husband. The way Earnest had thought "He's musical." They were sizing him up. Weighing and measuring him.

The only one that so far wasn't thrilled with Beau's performance, both his music and his witty interludes' was Royal. But Edythe didn't like the edge in his voice either. No companion would she find with him. Jealousy rolled in with his thoughts. He got closer and closer to revealing his own desires to keep Edythe single in envy. Edythe shied away from him, but his mate Eleanor seemed to think he was a riot.

Beau started playing again and Edythe let his voice quiet the others in her head, like a cold compress to a fever. The words were repetitive in the chorus but every word seemed to have a different inflection. A different meaning. The moods across Beau's face changed as he played until finally getting to the chorus.

_"I'm gonna steer clear_

_Burn up in your atmosphere_

_I'm gonna steer clear_

_'Cause I'd die if I saw you_

_I'd die if I didn't see you there"_

Edythe sighed and squeezed her chest again, knowing she stood to still for human comfort, but not sure that if she moved, she wouldn't crack apart. Why did every song he sang, sound vague enough to be about anyone, but seemed to sting her more harshly than venom.

It continued like a pleasurable form of torture. The whole evening, Beau bared a part of himself Edythe hadn't allowed herself to see after their second meeting. He had been so careful, so strategic in his interactions with his classmates. Playing close to the vest, never letting anyone in, never letting anyone see what he thought, or what he felt. But on the stage, the strain in his voice, the grief in his chest, felt like an open book that Edythe could have read all night.

Even when the practiced song was over and he covered the emotional songs with interludes of humor, even then he seemed more open and comfortable. This was his element. His world that he could operate in, with ease, and whenever he stepped down from it, he became that awkward boy unsure of his environment. He sung songs of heart break. Of loneliness. Of deeper emotions that worried Edythe so much so nearly had the instinct to jump up on stage and hold his head to her chest.

Jessamine snapped her head to her at one point, and Edythe only realized moments later that the tenor of emotions had alerted Jessamine enough that she reached out with her power to calm her sister. It helped only a little. She felt bothered. She felt. . . not herself.

Edythe realized as Beau thanked the crowd and took a final bow to applause. That Edythe burned with a lovely kind of warm.


	3. Notebook

_Previously:_

She felt bothered. She felt. . . not herself.

Edythe realized as Beau thanked the crowd and took a final bow to applause.

* * *

_When Sky Blue Gets Dark Enough_

**Chapter 3**

**Notebook**

* * *

Edythe knew her feet were on the ground. Could feel the space around her. But she felt like she was entirely other. Expanding. Expanding in a space far away and shrinking down carrying the whole of the universe with her and that universe was the vibration of Beau's thumb on a string and the air passing through his lips.

And then Beau stopped and pulled the straps of his guitar over his shoulder. The instrument swung up into his hand as he shrugged it off. Af first the cry of protest seemed to be coming from inside Edythe but in fact it was the rumble of minds around her. "Encore!" One of the nurses shouted sitting at table 5. "Encore!" A chant began to form from tables 1-7. Edythe twitched, not wanting to share this universe with anyone else. They thought they enjoyed him? They didn't know anything. They don't feel the same-

Edythe pressed her thumb against her palm. What was she thinking? She scrunched up her nose and looked up at the source of all this misery. Hoping perhaps, he would listen to the others. If she couldn't voice her own demands. She could have listened to him play for hours. Perhaps, no definitely longer but she was never one to be greedy.

"Alright. Alright." Beau crinkled his eyes. Damn that dimple when he smiles. "One more."

A secret indulgence was enjoyed briefly, like getting away with a small harmless act of selfishness. She glanced up just long enough to see Royal's eyes cut away sharply from her direction.

"For this," Beau began strumming and a sneaky smile played at his lip. "I'm going to need a volunteer." He was beaming now and it was incredibly rude that Edythe wasn't able to see behind his thoughts. "Don't worry you won't have to sing."

A few hands rose in the air, eagerly. Edythe rolled her eyes at the ladies in their midlife crisis. He's a teenager for heaven's sake. Get a grip.

Beau looked out onto the crowd. Edythe dipped further into the shadows. For a brief moment of panic she thought she saw Beau look in her direction. He wouldn't. Would he?

The odd smirk grew on his expression.

He pointed his finger. "How about. . . Cullen."

Edythe short circuited.

"Dr. Cullen." Beau continued pointing in the direction of Edythe's family. "She is the esteemed guest this evening."

Shocked Carine maintained her composure and held her hands up in a gesture of "_Oh please, no. You mustn't." _

"Everybody, come on, let's get Dr. Cullen up here." The room erupted in claps at Beau's command in an attempt to persuade Dr. Cullen to the stage.

No one had seen Dr. Cullen in a setting that wasn't professional. The curiosity got the better of all of them.

Earnest nudged his wife. They shared a look. "You just want to fit in, right?" He whispered to her.

"Oh alright. Alright." Dr. Cullen got up. The room cheered again. Everyone watched as Carine, as elegant as a choegraphed scene took her place beside Beau.

"Hi." Beau grimaced. The first and last time they had talked was after the incident in the parking lot. "Thanks."

Dr. Carine smiled pleasantly. She always did have such a good bedside manner."What do I do?"

"I just need you to snap your fingers, like this." He showed her the rhythm. "That's it. Perfect. Just keep that up." He turned back to the mic. "Alright here go. The started playing an upbeat number with Dr. Cullen at his side snapping along driving it forward.

"_This is just what the doctor ordered_

_Put a gold star on my disorder_

_Yeah, we've talked around every corner_

_If I'm looking at you and me, we're on kind of symmetry"_

Oddly enough Dr. Carine started swaying her hips and really getting into it. Her snaps were crystal clear as if a tap on a real drum. Edythe curled her arms over herself. How come her mother could be so natural next to him?

_Jealous_ \- Jessamine thought with a type of humor that only agitated Edythe more.

Definietely not, she objected. Edythe ticked her head to side. But Jessamine was rarely wrong. Was she? Was she really jealous? Jealous. Yes. that Carine doesn't have the insatiable urge to rip into the kid's throat. That's what she must be jealous of.

"_I'm a sensitive situation _

_You're a hot and cold combination_

_Oh, we both know we got complications _

_If I'm looking at you and me, we're on kind of symmetry, oh"_

This kind of song seemed different from the others. Oddly hopeful and carefree. Like the kind of thoughts you have when no one else is around and you're just sitting there imagining scenarios inside a vacuum.

_I try not to bother, not to bother you_

_But my kind of trouble, likes your trouble too"_

What kind of trouble does he like? Is it possible he could have these kinds of. . . whimsical thoughts about Edythe too? What is he thinking.

Before she was ready the song was over and there were several rounds of applause. For Beau and for his volunteer, Dr. Cullen. She laughed and curtsied as Beau bowed and gestured towards her for the applause. "Dr. Cullen everybody." He pressed his lips against the mic. The applause surged again. "Thank you for coming out tonight and supporting your local hospital. Thanks for listening and uh, hanging out in my bedroom while I play. You'll have a good evening."

Beau put his guitar away and closed the latch with a solid thud. And then it was over.

Edythe slipped out the door and drew in a deep breath of the outside air. Surrounded by crickets and the light of the moon. She exhaled the stale air inside her. The entire time she'd been holding her breath until the end. But she was wrong. It was just the beginning.

"Well that was interesting." Jessamine contemplated, her eyes were only on Archie. Her arms wrapped around his, pulling on his sweater. He was confident. She didn't need to know what he saw, not yet. As long as he was happy.

"He's coming over." Archie warned with a quick smile while he stared of into the distance.

"What?" Royal growled? "Why?"

"Hey! Dr. Cullen!" Beau jogged over. "I just wanted to thank you for being a good sport."

Carine beamed at him. "Oh, it was my pleasure. That was so much fun. You're so talented. I didn't know you could play so well."

"Oh yeah." Beau scratched the back of his head and shrugged his shoulder up. "Oh." He looked to the side and saw her husband. "You must be-"

"Where are my manners." Carine grinned and she put her hand on Earnest's shoulder. "Beau this is my husband, Earnest. Earnest, this is one of Edythe and Archie's classmates. Beau Swan. The sheriff's son." Edythe would absolutely hate this. She'd put a stop this if she could. But she wasn't here right now. Carine felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Edythe was sulking outside, most likely listening in and fuming.

"It's nice to meet you, Beau." Earnest was all too eager to met this boy that had shaken things up with Edythe. He held his hand out a bit timidly, still not so used to human interaction.

"Likewise, thanks for letting me borrow Dr. Cullen for a bit." Beau shook his hand. Afterall he had to say something to them right? It was a little unwarranted to bring her up on stage. Why did he do that? It was out of line. Surely.

"No trouble at all. I always enjoy seeing my beloved out of her element." He and his wife shared a look that made Beau feel a little awkward. He looked over the table. Growing even more uneasy now at all these eyes on him. But- he saw the empty chair-of course not hers. She was here right? Did she take one look at him and leave?

"Your songs." Earnest started. "Did you write them yourself?" Beau nodded, used to those questions. But underneath it he knew he shouldn't be here. It felt oddly like going behind her back. But. . . just because she wasn't talking to him. . . didn't mean he couldn't talk to her family right?

"Yeah, yes. I did." They were just talking about his music. Though to be honest, he didn't like talking about his music. But for some reason he felt like, out of everyone in this god forsaken town, maybe they would understand. Seeing as how they were all outsiders.

"You have quite the talent. And the emotional range. . . so refreshing in someone so young. You must have lived quite a few experiences."

Royal scoffed under his breath. "Right. Sounds like you've gotten around a lot." E shoved her elbow into his abs.

"Oh! Oh no. I-uh. It's kind of strange actually." Beau didn't dare look at Royal, but the light Earnest's eyes seemed kind enough. Felt like family. "You might not believe it."

"Try me." Earnest leaned forward.

"Well, mom always said I was an old soul. You know about reincarnation? Well. Some times. Sometimes I think I can remember them."

"Them?"

Beau shrugged. "Sorry. That's kind of silly. It's nothing. I'm glad you enjoyed the performance."

A shuffling sound interrupted his thoughts. "HI!" An intense looking nearly shaved young man stuck his hand out almost aggressively. "Hello there. I'm Archie. Archie Cullen. I'm also in the same class with you."

Beau turned hesitantly. This definitely felt like he was disobeying some unspoken rule. Archie. What an unassuming name. But the guy in front of him felt so very much far from unassuming. There was almost something. . . familiar about him. They shook hands. Beau wasn't even surprised at the cool skin on his palm. He would have to make a note of it when he got the chance.

"Have we met before?" Beau stared at his angular jawline and the bridge of Archie's nose. It was on the tip of his tongue. But surely someone like him would have stood out more. It's not a face one would forget.

"Well." Archie hesitated for a fraction of a second. Did Archie and Carine share a glance. Archie deflated for a moment. "N-no. We haven't met before."

"Are you sure? I could have sworn I'd known you from something." Beau felt like he was looking at an illusion in his mind trying to remember something that wasn't there. "Aw well then. Perhaps it was in another life."

Archie smiled curiously.

"Well. It was nice meeting you all. Thank you again Dr. Cullen. I hope you have a good rest of the evening. I should finish getting packed up." Beau oddly bowed in lieu of anything else to do. He was quite chuffed to be honest. He'd gotten through an almost completely normal and harmless interaction with Edythe's family. Thank god she wasn't here. He spun on his heels.

Reddish brown hair and a flash of amber eyes halted him in his tracks. Edythe stood in front of him. Where did she come from? Her eyes were intense filled with an energy that he didn't quite recognize.

Beau waited for her to talk. But as the seconds ticked onward it felt more and more like their time in 5th period after lunch, in silence next to each other. And the more the tension grew. He couldn't take her eyes off of her. Their weeks long silent treatment. It had to be ending? Otherwise why did she come back?

Something was happening. He felt like he was humming, vibrating, waiting for her to speak and to release him from whatever spell she had cast on him.

With a hopeful heart he waited for her to start. But all that greeted him back was an indiscernible expression and silence.

Earnest noted that Beau sighed, a deflated slump of his shoulders before he moved to walk around his complicated daughter. "Have a good night. It was nice meeting you all." He bowed politely in their direction.

Edythe shut her eyes as his arms nearly brushed against hers, wishing they wouldn't and praying they didn't. Words he couldn't hear past her lips. A reflexive question lashing out from her curiosity.

"Excuse me?" Beau looked over his shoulder, not sure if it was only wishful thinking. "Did you say something?

She heard her question in Archie's mind just a second before she turned around suddenly and asked it outloud. "What are you-" She stopped. Sighed. "Why are you-" She stopped again. She couldn't get the phrasing right. Why was she so frazzled all of a sudden? Why was this so hard? She couldn't ask what she really wanted. It wouldn't make sense. She pushed aside her family's array of thoughts. She'd deal with their ridicule later, but she couldn't possibly let Beau leave without knowing. The curiosity burned her more than his blood now.

"How do you think up your songs?" Edythe finally asked.

"Oh." Beau's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Edythe fought the urge to touch his eyebrows with her finger tips, as if that could help unravel the mystery of his thoughts. She could only pick up clues to all of his reactions to her like a detective at a scene, only left with the evidence of his peculiar expression to root out what he thought of her.

Furiously enough. He didn't answer her. Instead her shuffled into the large pocket in his jean jacket.

Edythe screamed internally. She wasn't used to this. How dare he ignore her and just-

Beau shook loose from his pocket a composition notebook. The cover worn and wrinkled from being folded and rolled back so many times. He held it up for a moment before explaining. "To be honest, I have a hard time keeping track of my thoughts. My ideas come and go like the wind and it's hard to hold onto just the same. So I write them all down. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's none-sense. Sometimes I forget about 'em until later and then I understand what I was thinking."

Edythe's eyes widened as she stared at the notebook in his hand like the holy grail. Like it glowed with some revenant power.

Beau cocked his head to the side and snatched the notebook aloft as Edythe reached for it slowly with both hands.

She blinked and stared at her hands. Did she really just try to take it from him? She didn't even think about it. Get it together, Edythe. She couldn't afford to lose it right now. Mind over matter. Mind over matter.

"Oh. Sorry." She whispered, loud enough to hear it. She only had enough air inside her lungs now for one more sentence. Only a few more words. Not without inhaling his scent. And endangering the boy. More than she already had.

"You know." Beau kept the notebook aloft over her head. An expression on his face she couldn't quite read. "Believe it or not, you're not actually entitled to my thoughts."

Edythe blinked. And for a moment they were alone in the room. Just the two of them. Staring at each other trying to figure the other out.

"What are you doing?" She asked with her final breath as Beau pulled out a pen and began to write something in the margins of a page. She couldn't make out the words as he used the notebook as a shield. Still his thoughts evaded her.

"Making an observation." He finished writing. "On you." He watched her expression change, flash again like a kaleidoscope before settling again.

Beau softened at her reaction. Her crinkled nose. Was that a dimple? Frustration lining her jutting jaw.

And before he knew what he was doing he lightly tapped his notebook on the crown of her head. "Boop."

Boop?

He turned his back to her quickly. What was that? He stuffed his notebook back into his pocket and flexed his hand out. God, why did he have to be so weird. "See you later." He muttered and tripped on his way out the door.

Edythe tracked his movement. Not bothering with being sly. She stayed frozen to her spot as she listened to his footsteps all the way to his car. Not bothering to pretend to be human. She listened to the engine turning on. The old hunk of metal leaving the parking lot. And then out of earshot. And Beau was more an enigma to her than before. And the rest of the world came rushing back.

"Well. That was…" Carine started with a smug look on her face that softened at Edythe's obvious distress.

"Something." Earnest finished for her. "Something indeed." He'd never in all their many years together seen Edythe look so. . . so much her age. She looked like a seventeen year old.

"Really?" Archie barked out a laugh. "Breaking and entering? Edythe now, I didn't peg you as a petty thief."

She rolled her eyes trying to push the image in Archie's mind out of sight. She wouldn't. She wouldn't, would she? Standing in the dark in his bedroom. Rifling through his desk. Crouching finally by his bed while he slept. Only a few inches away from his face as she pulled his notebook out from under his mattress.

Psh. Not gonna happen.

"Well. This was boring." Royal started putting on his coat. "Can we please just all go home now? I don't want to spend another second in this place."

"What?" Eleanor baulked. "Are you kidding? Do you need to get your eyes checked? Did you not just what I did? Did you not see the absolute puddle your sister got turned into. . . by a human?" She cackled. "This was hilarious. Beau's a riot. Honestly. I hope you keep him alive just to see him-"

She took a deep breath curiously. Tasting the waters so to speak. And her whole body filled with the fire that Beau's scent left behind. Her fist tightened.

"Royals right. Let's just go." Edythe twisted away from them and headed back outside. But the scent of Beau followed her into the night air and the sound of his voice echoed in her mind. And his elusive thoughts beckoned her. There was at least one thing in his notebook about her. She may not know what he was thinking. But he thought of her.

"Edythe Anne Masen," Carine walked side by side with her to the car. "Are you smiling?"

* * *

Beau rolled down his window and let the night air calm his heated skin. He parked in front of Charlie's house for a few minutes but he didn't want to go in just yet. Didn't want to let the events fade away into the monotony of his life. He was sure of it now more than ever. He tapped his notebook and smiled.

If she wanted to know what he thought of her, she'd have to get to know him.


End file.
